Jump to content

Silica gel advice


Recommended Posts

If you buy from Amazon read the packet dimensions carefully. 1cm by 3.5cm = teeny tiny!

 

So a friend tells me...

 

I once rescued a drowned phone with a Ziploc bag and all the silica gel we had in the house, the concept was to create a small dry sealed environment. The same principal should work for travel.

 

😉

Edited by Mr Standfast
Link to comment
Share on other sites

When I lived in Manaus, I used big bags of silica gel, like 1kg. I think I got them from Boots. The silica will turn from blue to pink when absorbing the moisture. I used to cook it in a pan when pink, and it would return to blue. By the time I went to the first floor, it would begin to turn pink again... 100% humidity it was.

 

Here in tropical Queensland, I have dedicated dry cabinets for my photographic equipment when I live in a house.

 

When you take your camera outside, your lens will fog but it will disappear after about 20 minutes as it warms up. Don't try and wipe it up.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My impression is that modern lenses are less likely to fungus, but I have B&H's silica drying thingies in two places for camera gear.  They plug in to heat off the water absorbed in the silica.  Dry cabinets are probably better.  Humidity here varies, but is fine for orchids, so is probably high.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I leave silica gel packets at home as they look like they might contain something else. No point in arousing suspicion at border crossings. My Sony 55-210 somehow developed serious fungus here in Vancouver a couple of years ago, and I had to ditch it. Fortunately, I was able to find a reasonably priced used replacement in excellent condition. It's also a much sharper and better made copy. I always found air conditioning to be the biggest problem in tropical climes. Try not to let your camera and lenses get too icy overnight, so that when you take them out into the heat they won't fog up.

  • Love 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Before I moved, I often sat up tripod or monopod/camera on my back patio to shoot birds. On cold winter days, I placed my camera/lens in a sealed plastic bag & sat it out in the cold for 30 minutes before a shoot. It went back in the plastic bag before I brought it in. I did make use of the silica bags in my camera bag, always. Never had fungus.

  • Love 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Betty LaRue said:

Before I moved, I often sat up tripod or monopod/camera on my back patio to shoot birds. On cold winter days, I placed my camera/lens in a sealed plastic bag & sat it out in the cold for 30 minutes before a shoot. It went back in the plastic bag before I brought it in. I did make use of the silica bags in my camera bag, always. Never had fungus.

 

Camera repair people here told me that it's very rare to see lens fungus these days. I later discovered some weird (and smelly) fungus growing in the trunk of my car, so I had probably left my camera bag sitting there at some point. Fortunately, the spores only got into that lens for some reason.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 06/02/2023 at 21:00, John Mitchell said:

 

Camera repair people here told me that it's very rare to see lens fungus these days. I later discovered some weird (and smelly) fungus growing in the trunk of my car, so I had probably left my camera bag sitting there at some point. Fortunately, the spores only got into that lens for some reason.

 

I had one time, before I knew better, when I took my camera from a warm house out in the cold. The camera or lens, probably the lens, fogged up so bad I couldn’t see anything. Scared me to death. I immediately did some online research and learned about the sealed plastic bag technique. It definitely worked, and nothing bad resulted from the one-time fogging. My Nikon & RX100 handled the Caribbean just fine, also, & it was very humid salty air.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 07/02/2023 at 13:00, John Mitchell said:

 

Camera repair people here told me that it's very rare to see lens fungus these days. I later discovered some weird (and smelly) fungus growing in the trunk of my car, so I had probably left my camera bag sitting there at some point. Fortunately, the spores only got into that lens for some reason.

 

 

This surprises me but what do I know? Here in Cairns, there are zillion photographers because it's so scenic. They all seem to have a dry cabinet, certainly pros do. There is a hefty market in them, people constantly asking. Quite a few also bemoan the death of their lens to fungus.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We've been subjected to near 100% humidity for a few weeks in SE Queensland. Remote controls for garage and gates won't work. Our fireproof storage box succumbed - mouldy passports etc. despite silica gel packs in there.

Best solution for us has been uncooked rice. Remote controls are sitting in little tubs of rice. I made a pouch for rice to put in the box. I used an empty sunglasses case (with a drawstring) for a good handful of rice and put it in the box. It's all dry now and mould seems to have disappeared from Aussie passports (British one didn't succumb as much).

I have tubs of moisture absorbing crystals in most cupboards that keep photographic stuff dry, but they need replacing regularly and won't work for portable bags etc.

Sandi

  • Love 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.